Sporting event proves popular
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — The annual Sportsman’s Show, hosted by the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club and held at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Gentile Hall March 26-27, attracted sporting enthusiasts of all ages, offering a wide array of activities and displays to suit interests of all kinds.
Photo courtesy of Nick Archer
QUEEN TRIES BOW HUNTING — Katie Whittier, Miss Maine 2010, was one of several individuals to try their hand at using a bow and arrow to shoot at targets at this year’s Sportsman’s Show, hosted by the Presque Isle Fish and Game Club, with proceeds from the event going toward scholarships so area youth can attend conservation camp. Pictured with Whittier are Jerome and Tina Richard, of the Maine Bowhunters Association.
From boating and fishing to hunting and ATVing, participants had the opportunity to meet with specialists and learn from the pros how to make the most of their favored outdoor activity.
“We (members of the PIFGC) just got back from representing the club at the Augusta show. Our own show had a total attendance of about 7,000. There were approximately 65 vendors from throughout the entire Northeast, with a broad variety of offerings,” said Peter M. Hilton, show co-chair.
Once again this year, a number of booths encouraged children to try their hand at everything from target practice with bows and arrows to fishing.
“Our special attractions included bow shooting, air gun shooting, a 16-foot by 24-foot trout pond (that was stocked with 300 brook trout) and fly tying lessons, as well as live birds and animals from the A.E. Howell Wildlife Center. All these special attractions were aimed at getting the younger set involved in outdoor activities,” he said.
According to Hilton, the show “was a huge success.”
Funds raised through activities like the annual Sportsman’s Show are used to provide educational opportunities for area youth.
Photo courtesy of Nick Archer
THE FISHING POND proved to be a popular spot again this year at the annual Sportsman’s Show, held March 26 and 27 at the University of Maine at Presque Isle’s Gentile Hall. Thanks to sponsors like the Presque Isle Elks and L.L. Bean, area youth were able to try their hand at fishing a few days earlier than the regular open-water season, getting ‘hooked on fishing’ just in time for the season ahead. The annual Hooked on Fishing event at Mantle Lake has been tentatively scheduled for June 4.
“The Club’s goal this year is to provide 12 scholarships for area youngsters to attend the University of Maine/4-H Conservation Camps at Bryant Pond or at Pleasant Point. We are pleased and proud to say the finances to make that possible have been realized through the continued support of UMPI, many area businesses and the general public from northern Maine and western New Brunswick,” said Hilton.
Nick Archer, member of the PIFGC and one of the event organizers, said the event takes a lot of planning and wouldn’t have been possible without the assistance of many volunteers and organizations.
“We want to thank the University for doing a great job again this year, allowing us the use of Gentile Hall again this year. We also want to thank all the many volunteers and members of the Fish and Game Club who devoted numerous hours to the preparation before and participation at this year’s event,” said Archer. “We’d also like to thank the many participants who turned out to attend the show.”
Archer said several of the booths offered participants a chance to win a variety of items, with the club offering one of the biggest prizes.
“We raffled off a canoe again this year. The winner was Allan Bennett of Presque Isle,” said Archer.
